First, the setting – I normally don’t frequent Starbucks. I don’t particularly like their regular coffee, and the espresso drinks are just too pricey and fattening for regular patronage. On this occasion, I needed to drop of my car at our local garage to have a headlight replaced, and the only place to hang out for the 40 minutes or so while this was happening was across the street at Starbucks. I was prepared. I had my laptop and the book I was reading. I was going to get coffee, a muffin, and use their WiFi to check e-mail, etc.

I didn’t have the ordering problems that Duckhunter did. I was able to get my coffee and muffin with no problem. Finding a seat was a challenge as this happened to be a crowded place, but I found a perch. However, here are the things that I thought could be improved upon. These may be part of the reason why Starbucks is loosing part of its market share to competitors…

Price – compared to other coffee options, it is more expensive.

Refills – I ordered just a regular cup of coffee. Every other coffee shop I visit (Panera, Atlanta Bread Company, etc) has free refills. I didn’t see that option here. In fairness, I didn’t really need a refill, but the option would have been nice.

WiFi – The only option was a T-Mobile hot spot, which isn’t free. Atlanta Bread and Panera, as well as many other coffee shops in the area offer free WiFi.

Customers don’t like feeling nickled and dimed to death, and that was the feeling I got from Starbucks this morning. So, I just left my laptop in my backpack, sipped my expensive coffee, ate my rock-hard muffin, read my book, and waited for my car to be fixed.

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Tom

3 thoughts on “Starbucks Encounters”

I’m pretty sure the Starbucks in Clemson has free wifi. My gripe is that there is no cost discount for getting coffee in a mug for “there” instead of in a “to go” cup. Where I go, it’s $1.25 for an in-house mug (lots of coffee), and .75 for each refill. A “to go” cup purchased outright would be more, but still cheaper than Starbucks. Plus, MoJo’s dark roast coffee is top of the line. REALLY tasty.

I kind of think that going to Starbucks is for older folks (twenty-somethings) what going to McDonalds is for little kids. For many of the same reasons.

I have never been to a starbucks in my life. I don’t drink coffee, and when I had someone from work go there and offer to get me something, I asked for Chai, my usual coffe house beverage. It was NASTY. No reason for me to ever try them again.